Definition of Adolescent social development

In this lesson you will learn about the key aspects that define the stage of human development known as adolescence. Following the lesson you will have the opportunity to test your new knowledge by taking a short quiz.

Introduction

Human growth and development is characterized by several distinct and unique stages beginning with conception and ending at death. Like all stages of human development, adolescence is an important stage. In this lesson we will focus on the biological, cognitive, and socioemotional aspects of adolescence which make it unique and distinguishable from the other stages of human development.

Definition

For most humans, adolescence begins around age 10, 11, or 12 and concludes somewhere between 18 and 21 years of age. It is important to remember that age alone does not signify the beginning and end of adolescence, but rather achieving key developmental milestones indicates when a particular stage of development has begun or concluded. While a variety of changes are taking place during adolescence, these changes can, for the most part, be classified within three major categories; physical, cognitive, and socioemotional.

Physical Development

The onset of puberty marks the beginning of the significant physical changes that occur within the developmental stage of adolescence. Puberty encourages rapid physical growth and is triggered by the increased production of two hormones; testosterone in males and estradiol in females. By the end of adolescence the body has, for the most part, undergone the changes needed to result in a fully functioning adult being, including physical maturity, as well as sexual development in both genders.

Cognitive Development

As the body changes and grows during adolescence, the brain undergoes significant changes as well. Specifically, certain areas of the brain grow and develop independent of one another during adolescence. Recent brain imaging studies have shown that the amygdala, which is influential in emotion regulation, develops earlier in adolescence and the cortex, which is influential in thinking and decision-making, occurs later in adolescence.

Renowned developmental psychologist, Jean Piaget, posited that the hallmark of adolescence, from a cognitive perspective, is the ability to engage in formal operational thinking. In general, formal operational thinking involves the ability to understand abstract concepts and the ability to make predictions about future events. In the eyes of cognitive developmental psychologists, the ability to perform functions requiring formal operational thinking, such as developing theories and solving abstract problems, marks the transition into adolescence.

Source: education-portal.com

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Your school should have a library

by Promunch

Where you can look up journal articles which deal with love, adolescent development and its effect on social norms, etc.
You would want to limit your search to psychology and sociology related journals. If you are still struggling a librarian would be able to help you.
That is going to be much more reliable than anything you can find from google or asking on a global forum (with the added benefit that you can actually use it as a scholarly source, something you cannot do with a forum post since it is not reliable).

The development of social anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.: An article from: Focus on Autism and Other Developmental DisabilitiesBook (Thomson Gale)

The effects of peers on the academic and creative talent development of a gifted adolescent male.: An article from: Journal of Secondary Gifted EducationBook (Prufrock Press)

Male adolescents' view on sexual activity as basis for the development of aids-prevention programmes.: An article from: EducationBook (Project Innovation (Alabama))

Heavy prenatal alcohol linked to behavioral ills: in adolescents, skills for academic achievement and social interaction were found to be greatly ... An article from: Clinical Psychiatry NewsBook (Thomson Gale)

Feeling board.: An article from: SIECUS DevelopmentsBook (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S., Inc.)

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